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Posted Jun 5, 2026, 5:31 AM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Posts: 7,406
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Quote:
White: Winnipeg vs. Calgary
Common threads lead to growth, development with unique expression in both cities.
By Richard White
Published Jun 04, 2026
Winnipeg and Calgary have more in common than many people think. For example, Winnipeg was the economic engine of the prairies early in the 20th century, while Calgary is the economic engine in the early 21st century. A recent visit to Winnipeg reminded me of just how similar the two cities are evolving today, despite the differences in the size of their economies and populations.
Downtown Department Store Redevelopment
The Hudson’s Bay Co. department store dominated both downtowns for more than a hundred years, with Winnipeg’s closing in 2020 and Calgary’s in 2025. Winnipeg has started an ambitious transformation of it iconic HBC building into Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn (“It is Visible”), a $310-million mixed-use indigenous hub led by the Southern Chiefs’ Organization. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the project will feature more than 300 affordable housing units, a health centre, daycare, and a museum.
Winnipeg’s downtown store repurposing was made possible by the building being donated to the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) in April 2022, as well as $150 million in government grants that made its redevelopment viable.
Calgary’s downtown HBC store was recently sold to a developer who is experienced in office to residential conversions. The conversion of the HBC building into residential will be difficult with its huge floorplate, but a mixed-use development with perhaps some retail, some residential and maybe a hotel could work.
Eaton’s, Winnipeg’s other huge downtown department store closed in 1999 and was demolished in 2003 to make room for a new sports and entertainment district with an arena, expanded convention centre, office and retail development, like what is happening at Stampede Park.
Downtown Indoor Malls
Like all downtowns across North America, both cities created huge indoor malls in the 1970s and ’80s to compete with suburban malls. However, most of these malls struggled and many have been repurposed.
Calgary’s original Eaton’s store opened in 1929 and was demolished in 1988 to make way for Eaton’s Centre. Its Tyndall stone facade was saved and incorporated into the new retail complex that linked the HBC department store to a new Eaton’s store. Today we know this retail complex as The Core Shopping Centre, which underwent a mega $200 million renovation in 2011 that included a 2.5 block long skylight (largest point-supported structural glass skylight in the world) to create one continuous indoor shopping experience, with a new food hall and renovated public garden occupying the fourth floor.
Winnipeg’s Portage Place, linked to both the Hudson’s Bay and Eaton’s stores by sky bridges, struggled since it opened in 1987 and today is being converted into more mixed-use structure. The $650-million redevelopment of Winnipeg’s Portage Place by True North Real Estate Development features a 12-storey Healthcare Centre of Excellence, a 15-story residential tower with affordable housing, retail and green spaces.
However, Calgary’s downtown The Core Shopping Centre has been more successful, ranked Number 29 in Canadian shopping centres for sales per square foot, but far behind Calgary two top centres, CF Chinook Centre (ranked Number 5) and CF Market Mall (ranked Number 13).
Calgary’s downtown retail benefits from its huge corporate office population (120,000) and its greater downtown residential population of more than 60,000. Both numbers are three times Winnipeg’s.
The Forks vs. East Village
Winnipeg’s The Forks and Calgary’s East Village have lots in common. Both are at the confluence of two rivers, both were once railway yards and both are currently being redeveloped east of their respective downtown core. And pre-European settlement, both were meeting places for indigenous people.
The Forks redevelopment began in 1987 with the creation of the Forks Renewal Corp. (a partnership of three levels of government), with the first project being the rehabilitation of a former stable buildings to the Forks Market, a mix of shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs. This was followed by the creation of a dock area, riverwalk, Johnston Terminal (retail, office), Children’s Museum, Esplanade Riel (pedestrian bridge), Inn at the Forks, Baseball Park and Human Rights museum.
First, CMLC had to undertake a major upgrade of the Village’s infrastructure and flood mitigation, including raising the land by five feet to bring the 40-acre site above the 100-year flood level.
New developments happened quickly after that — 4th Street underpass (2011), Jack and Jean Leslie River Walk (2012), George C. King pedestrian bridge (2014), St. Patrick’s Island redevelopment (2015), National Music Centre (2016) and Central Library (2018). In addition, a Hilton Hotel (320 rooms) opened in 2016 and Alt Hotel (155 rooms) in 2018. All were designed to make the Village a more attractive place to live.
In 2015, the first residential towers open and today there are a dozen high-rise residential buildings, creating 1,700 new homes, with the tallest being the Arris, a 41-storey tower (part of two tower development above a retail complex at street level that includes a Real Canadian Superstore).
Currently five new residential developments (750 new homes), another hotel and another underpass to link East Village with Stampede Park are underway.
Calgary’s East Village has become an urban village, while The Forks is a recreational gathering place and tourist attraction.
University Villages
Both cities are currently actively redeveloping vacant university land into urban villages. In Winnipeg’s case, the redevelopment involves transforming the Southwood Golf Course into UniverCity, a mixed-use urban village next to the University of Manitoba campus in the suburban community of St. Vital.
Phase 1, which is underway, includes 3,500 homes in mid- to high-rise building and 120,000 sq. ft. of commercial space to become the core of the village. The plan includes the preservation of 5,000 old-growth trees and 21 acres of parkland. It will also include the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation opening in 2029. The entire project is expected to take 20 to 30 years and be home to about 20,000 people.
The University of Calgary began the creation of University District in 2011 with the establishment of the West Campus Development Corp. by the University of Calgary and city council approval of the redevelopment plan in 2014.
The plan calls for the development of vacant lands between the university campus with the existing Alberta Children’s Hospital and south to the mega Foothills Medical Centre. It will be anchored by a traditional main street with retail at street level and residential above and a huge underground parking lot beneath. Today the main street is four blocks long and includes a major grocery store, Cineplex and hotel, as well as shops, restaurants and cafes. It also has a three-acre Central Commons Park that is actively programmed, (winter skating rink and summer splash park), as well as 40 acres of interconnected green spaces.
University District welcomed it first residents in 2019 and by the end of 2026 there will be more than 10 residential buildings (including a major seniors’ aging-in-place facility), with 2,000 new homes supporting 3,500 residents.
Like Winnipeg’s UniverCity, Calgary’s University District is a 25-plus year project and will ultimately be home for 15,000 people.
Last Word
Winnipeg is the gateway to the prairies from the east and Calgary is the gateway from west. Winnipeg thrived when the prairies were being settled from east to west and the Great Lakes and trains were the main mode of shipping route of goods. Calgary has become the prairies’ major distribution centre because shipping became more diversified (train, truck and air) and Asia, United States and Mexico have become major trading partners.
The rise of Calgary and the decline of Winnipeg is most evident in their population growth. Calgary’s population had grown from 4,000 in 1900 to 1.6 million today, while Winnipeg’s has grown from 42,000 to around 860,000. Calgary wasn’t even in the Top 10 most populated Canadian cities in 1900. Today it is the fourth largest, while Winnipeg has dropped from a high of third to seventh.
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Calgary Herald
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